Despite any political differences between the United States and Russia, the space agencies of the two countries continue their cooperative work in Earth's orbit, aboard the International Space Station. Apart from the research being done in microgravity, ISS crew members continue to send back amazing images of our home world, photographed from low Earth orbit. Gathered here are recent images of Earth from aboard the ISS, and from a handful of other NASA satellites.

“Actor and director Mel Gibson has pleaded no contest to a “misdemeanour” battery charge after a fight with then-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva in 2010. Gibson, 55, was placed on probation for 36 months and ordered to attend a year of domestic violence counselling. The complaint accuses Gibson of “wilfully and unlawfully” using force and violence against Ms Grigorieva. A misdemeanour charge is generally considered a lesser criminal act than a felony charge in the US”. – BBC News

Photo: Oksana Grigorieva arrives at the premiere Of Warner Bros. “The Edge Of Darkness” held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on January 26, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Members of the public continue to pay their respects at the scene of a hit and run following civil disturbances in the Winson Green area on August 12, 2011 in Birmingham, England. Police are continuing investigations after three people – reportedly trying to protect shops from rioting and looting in Dudley Road – were struck by a car and killed during rioting. Police have so far arrested over 1,000 people following rioting which erupted over a four-day period across the UK. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

“With a fourth explosion rocking the Fukushima nuclear plant on Tuesday, danger of the spent nuke fuel pool boiling and radiation levels at the facility's gate increasing hundredfold, fears of a meltdown in Japan skyrocket”. – Russia Today

Photo: In this handout image provided by U.S. Navy, an aerial view of tsunami and earthquake damage is seen from an SH-60B helicopter assigned to the Chargers of Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron (HS) 14 from Naval Air Facility Atsugi March 12, 2011 seen from the air of Sendai, Japan. (Photo by U.S. Navy via Getty Images)

Laura Titch, dressed as Mary of Guise, and Duncan Maclachlan, dressed as Alexander of Stewart, rehearse for Stirling Castle's grand renaissance palace opening on June 3, 2011 in Stirling, Scotland. The palace has been closed for two years, while a Ј12 million pound project was undertaken to return the palace to how it might have looked back in the 1540s, when it was home to Mary of Guise, the widow of James V. Their daughter, Mary Queen of Scots, was raised there before living in France. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Passengers watch as The Waverley, the world's last remaining seagoing passenger paddle steamer arrives at Clevedon Pier on June 10, 2011 in Clevedon, England. Built in 1946, the trust which owns and operates the Waverley, is warning that this could be the last season for the vessel and is appealling for more public funding saying it is struggling to make ends meet in the current financial climate due in part to rising fuel costs. Restored in 1973 after service on Loch Long in Scotland, since 2003, Waverley has been listed in the British National Register of Historic Ships core collection as 'a vessel of pre-eminent national importance'. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

A picture composed by the French street artist JR is plastered to a wall under a highway as part of a community project called “Through A Mother's Eyes”, which involves members of the economically distressed neighborhood of Hunts Point in images taken by and of themselves on June 30, 2011 in New York City. JR, a recent TED prize winner, has staged similar projects around the world that look to transform high crime and impoverished neighborhoods into spaces for street art combined with the celebration of community. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

“Japanese artist and designer Makoto Tojiki innovatively uses light as his primary medium of expression. In his latest exhibition, No Shadow, Tojiki manipulates thousands of small hanging lights to create 3D images of a man and animals. I’m pretty amazed by how the artist is able to “see” the image while meticulously placing the lights. Makoto’s creativity doesn’t stop at light production; he is also involved in jewelry making and furniture design”. (Photos by Ryo Ishihara/Josh Rothman)